Apolinar Mesa Nazareno was a modest man, quiet and observant in his ways. He was trustworthy and traditional in his approach to his life and in his relationships. He was tough-minded with the kind of “stick to it” attitude that earned the respect of all who knew him. He was also a man who was meticulous, carefully disciplined, and orderly in virtually everything he undertook. Realistic about life, he was always at the ready, prepared to take on responsibility.
Apolinar was born on December 6, 1948 to Geronimo and Veronica Nazareno and grew up in Bucana, Naic, Cavite, Philippines. He was raised with four brothers: Romulo, Roberto, Geronimo, Jr. and Armin and five sisters: Aurea, Adelina, Veronica, Jr., Velma and Neila. He was brought up to be self-confident and dependable. Apolinar was constantly involved in activities with his brothers and sisters. He and his siblings may have had the typical rivalries while growing up but he was always consistently loyal to his family. These were traits that would serve him well throughout his life.
As a young child, Apolinar was never someone who needed to be the center of attention. He wasn’t pushy and never forced his way into games or other activities. Apolinar developed a variety of interests, though, and the things he enjoyed doing he did well. He was always curious about the world around him and was often eager to explore it. He was both a Boy Scout and an honor student. However, what Apolinar enjoyed most was simply playing and spending time with his many friends.
While his teachers and even his friends generally thought of Apolinar as being a serious person, he managed to have a pretty good time in high school as he made that critical transition from adolescence to adulthood. He graduated from Western Cavite College in 1965. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Apolinar was a very logical person who enjoyed learning about factual information. Using his exceptional memory, he was able to learn much through observation. Apolinar always seemed to have a command of the facts and was able to make it seem as though he could easily master any problem that might be presented to him.
Compassionate and devoted to Rosalina, Apolinar held endearing, traditional values about marriage and family life. He took the responsibility of marriage to heart, giving it his total commitment. He was a source of strength to Rosalina and using his gifts at nurturing one-on-one relationships, he worked hard to make his new family happy.
Apolinar brought the same traditional values in his marriage to bear on how he raised his children. He was a good parent to them, always firm yet fair in his dealings. He would always listen carefully and think things through before he acted, even when it was an adverse situation. Apolinar was also a walking schedule, always seeming to know what everyone in the family needed to do, where they needed to be and when they needed to be there. Apolinar was blessed with three children, one son: Patrick and two daughters: Sheila and Beverly. They were also blessed with eight grandchildren, Emmarrie, Brandyn, Kiara, Kianu, Kia, Kiana, Zaiden and Izik.
Apolinar was a United States Navy Retiree and was stationed in Vietnam, Hawaii, New Jersey, California and Australia. Apolinar saw action in the Vietnam War. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of E-8 Senior Chief Petty Officer. A literal thinker who possessed a calm exterior, Apolinar seemed to enjoy the routines set forth by the military. His results-oriented approach to things made him committed to the job, and he understood well his role in serving his country.
Apolinar liked to experience things first-hand as well as learn about them. This trait carried over into his hobbies, where he was very methodical in how he organized his activities and categorized things. Since he enjoyed his private time, Apolinar always tried to allocate a specific time for working on his hobbies. His favorite pursuits were singing in a band and playing guitar. He also loved to bowl.
Apolinar was a man who was dedicated and devoted to his faith. He was a member of the Catholic Church. During that time, he was a member of the St. Augustine Recollect prayer and enrichment group. He was a sympathetic man who valued his beliefs and was willing to work tirelessly for them.
Apolinar was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of Apolinar’s favorites was Felix, a mixed Maltese Bichon Dog (his great-grandfur-son). They were best friends for one and a half years. His family was rounded out by his dogs Pee Wee, GiGi and Rocky.
When Apolinar’s retirement finally arrived in 1993, he was well prepared. He always trusted and placed value in what was logical and in the things he knew, so he was very confident in planning his retirement. He had begun the process early and had his retirement all laid out well in advance. His new life involved relocating to Oxnard, California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Even in retirement, Apolinar continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. He was active in his new community and felt fulfilled.
Apolinar Mesa Nazareno passed away on October 20, 2019 at St. Rose San Martin Hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada after fighting a brave battle against cancer. He is survived by his wife, Rosalina; daughters, Sheila and Beverly; grandchildren, Brandyn, Kiara, Kianu, Kia, Kiana, Zaiden and Izik; brothers, Romulo, Geronimo, Jr. and Armin; and sisters, Aurea, Adelina, Velma, Veronica, Jr. and Neila. Services were held at Palm Southwest Mortuary. Apolinar will be laid to rest at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City, Nevada.
Commitment is a key word that can be used to describe the life of Apolinar Mesa Nazareno. He was committed to living the life of a good man who was both practical and trustworthy. He was committed to the traditional values that he upheld his entire life. He committed himself to being a hard worker who expected the same effort in return from those around him. Most of all, he was committed to those he knew and loved.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.9.5